Statement from Port of Seattle Commission President Stephanie Bowman and Port of Tacoma Commission President Clare Petrich:
“The Federal Maritime Commission-approved discussions between the ports of Seattle and Tacoma continue, and we have made meaningful progress in our goal to enhance our container and marine cargo business, providing tens of thousands of jobs, billions in revenue, while delivering hundreds of millions in state and local taxes. The citizens of Pierce and King counties are our shareholders in these trade gateways, and it is for their ultimate benefit we undertook these FMC-sanctioned discussions.
“The ports of Seattle and Tacoma hold public transparency, openness and public trust as cornerstones of our values.
“Sensitive strategic financial and commercial information is at the heart of the content of these discussions. The FMC’s mission is to ensure competitive and efficient ocean transportation services for the shipping public. Read the legal rationale why the federal Shipping Act applies to these discussions.
“State law allows certain proprietary and sensitive matters to be discussed in executive session and then to be acted upon in public to protect the public’s interest. Our meetings have the same content but use the authority of the Federal Maritime Commission Discussion Agreement. To further support our commitment to the public, we have proactively noticed these FMC meetings, which is not required, both online and posted publicly, much as Washington public agencies do for their executive sessions using state law.
“Port of Tacoma and Port of Seattle commissioners and staff commit to sharing fully the substance of these discussions, as well as to review publicly this information and gather citizen input before any action is taken, which would also happen in a public meeting.”